Mail-crane.



No. 807,849. PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905. B. F. MYERS.

MAIL- CRANE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.25.1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAIL-CRANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1905.

Application filed April 25, 1905. Serial No. 257,307.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. MYERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Sonora, in the county of Preble and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Cranes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in mail-bag catchers and cranes; and it consists, essentially, of a hook pivotally mounted upon a side of a car and having means wherebythe mail-bag is locked in position and cannot be accidentally misplaced afterit has been caught by said hook, and also of a pivotally-mounted support having two arms projecting toward the track and provided with clamps to hold the mail-bags in position.

It has for its object to produce a device of this character which will handle the mail in such a manner as to absolutely prevent its being dropped or otherwise displaced and which will at the same time be so simple in construction as to be very cheaply manufactured.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the device in use. Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the swivel by which the mail-catcher is attached to the car. Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the support which holds the said mail-catcher in operative position. Fig. at is a detail perspective view of one of the bearings upon which the crane turns. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a part of the mail-catcher, showing the operation of the locking-lever.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The crane comprises a metal rod 1, one end of which is bent to form an arm and a second arm 3 adjustably mounted upon the rod 1 by means of a collar 1 and a set-screw 5. The ends of these arms are tapered and provided with a spring-clamp 6, which engages with the rings on the mail-bag and holdsit against accidental displacement. This rod is pivotally mounted upon a post 7 by means of collars or eyes and is provided at its lower end with a collar 10, which rests upon the eye 9 to prevent its slipping out of position. This collar 10 is provided on its lower face with a V-shaped lug 11, which engages with a corresponding recess in the eye 9 to hold the arms 2 and 3 normally extending toward the track, so that the mail-bag is in position to be received by the mail-catcher on the car. The lower end of the rod 1 is threaded for the reception of a nut 12, and a spring 13 is interposed between said nut and the eye 9. This spring may be compressed to any desired degree by screwing up the nut 12 and serves to prevent the accidental disengagement of the lug 11 with the recess in the eye 9.

The mail-catcher comprises a hook having a mouth 14 and a throat 15 and is pivotally connected at 16 to a rod 17, swiveled in the side of the car. It will thus be seen that the hook is free to swing both in a horizontal and vertical direction. A hook l8, projecting from the side of the car and bent downward and inward, forms a seat 19, upon which the shank of the hook rests when in position to catch the mail-bag. A locking-lever 20, one of whose arms is curved in the shape of a hook 21, is pivoted at one side of the mouth of the throat 15.

In operation the mail-bag enters the mouth of the hook and is thereby guided into the throat, Where it engages the straight arm or trigger end of the lever 20 and by pushing that back throws the hook 21 across the throat 15. It will now be seen that any tendency of the mail-bag to fall out of position will be effectively prevented by the hook 21, which, owing to its peculiar shape, will not allow itself to be thrown out of position. H desired, as an additional safeguard a springcatch 22 may be employed to hold the hook 21 in a locked position across the throat 15. At the same time the engagement with the mail-bag will force the mail-catcher to turn upon its pivot 16 sufficiently to remove it from the seat 19. It will then swing upon the rod 17 into a vertical position, where it will be within easy access from the car-door. This operation will also have turned the crane upon its axis, so that it will be approximately parallel to the track and entirely out of the way.

From the foregoing description it will be readily understood thatI have produced adevice which will handle the mail without any danger of loss or mutilation and which is at the same time so simple and durable in construction as to defy breakage. It will be understood that the positions of the mail-bag catcher and the crane may be reversed, so as to receive mail from a moving car instead of delivering it, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

.Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is v 1. In a mail-bag catcher the combination of a hook pivotally mounted upon a rod swiveled in the side of a car, and a seat for holding said hook in an operative position formed by a hook-shaped member which projects from the side of the car and is bent downward and inward.

2. In amail-bag catcher, the combination of a hook which is pivotally mounted upon a member swiveled in the side of a car, and means for holding said hook in operative position. 3. In a mail-bag catcher, the combination of a hook, and a locking-lever having two arms arranged at angles to each other, one. of said arms being curved so as to form a hook which prevents the mail-bag from forcing the locking-lever around after the bag has been caught.

4:. In a mail-bag crane, the combination of a rod, one of whose ends is bent so as to form an arm for the support of the mail-bag, asecond arm connected to said rod and longitudinally adjustable thereon,means at the end of the arms for engaging the mail bag, and means for supporting the rod in an uprigh position.

5. In a mail-bag crane the combination of a rod having arms secured thereto for supporting the mail-bag, said rod being provided with a collar having a lug on one side thereof and a standardhaving eyes for the reception of said rod, one of the eyes being formed with a recess into which the lug fits when the arms are extended toward the track, said lug being so placed as to permit the free movement of the rod, when the arms are not extended toward the track.

6. In a mail-bag crane the combination of a rod having arms secured thereto for supporting the mail-bag. said rod being provided with a collar having a lug on one side thereof, and a standard having eyes for the reception of said rod, one of the eyes being formed with a V-shaped recess into which the lug fits when the arms are extended toward the track, the arms belng adapted to be readily turned away from the track owing to the fact that thesides of the recess are inclined.

7. In a mail-bag crane the combination of a rod having arms secured thereto for supporting the mail-bag, said rod being provided with a collar having a lug on one side thereof, a standard having eyes for the reception of said rod, one of the eyes being formed with a recess adapted to engage with the above-mentioned lug to hold the arms extending toward the track, and a spring holding the collar and eye in close engagement.

8. In a mail-bag crane the combination of a rod having one end bent around to form an arm for the support of the mail-bag and having a collar with a lug thereon and also having its lower end threaded for the reception of a nut, a second arm adjustably mounted upon said rod means at the end of said arms for engaging the mail-bag, a standard having eyes through which the rod passes, one of said eyes having a recess to engage with the above-mentioned lug, and a spring interposed between said eye and the above-mentioned nut on the end of the rod.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.-

BENJAMIN F. MYERS. Witnesses:

CHARLES W. RECHER, SPENCER D. SMITH. 

